Wielding their long halberds, the two heavy infantrymen became increasingly relaxed as they fought. Their well-coordinated movements allowed them to block the relentless tide of attacks, while their halberds pulverized everything in their path. The enemies who rushed forward were like tiny waves, churned and shattered by their weapons. However, it wasn't white foam that splashed everywhere, but blood.

Ye Tao, at first, diligently followed Liu Yong's instructions, guarding the flanks and rear of the two guards, preventing anyone from breaking through the inner circle and overwhelming them. But as the battle continued, and everyone became more immersed in the fighting, the situation changed. When Ye Tao was consumed by the excitement and bloodlust, everyone felt a sense of disbelief: was this the same gentle and approachable Lord Administrator they knew?

Two long blades, slenderer than typical cavalry swords and with more elegant curves, danced in Ye Tao's hands. He wasn't picky about where the blades struck—arms, legs, bodies, backs, or heads, it didn't matter. The sharp blades left long gashes with each pass. Occasional thrusts pierced through enemies, and the swords were withdrawn with ease. Ye Tao didn't strive for precision, knowing it was beyond him; he sought only fluidity. He didn't want to halt his movements by focusing on killing or wounding specific individuals. He knew that among the enemies facing him, there would be those who recognized his unusual status. If his movements faltered, if he showed any hesitation, he might be instantly overwhelmed. He was certain that the surrounding guards would rush to his rescue, but what would be the point of *him*—wearing this expensive, ornate, and incredibly sturdy armor? Ye Tao was determined to avoid such a scenario, to avoid causing trouble for his men.

As his fluidity became automatic, a subconscious reaction, a swift and accurate response to the enemies lunging at him, Ye Tao in full battle mode became more than just a support role for the two heavy infantrymen. Although his stamina was still limited compared to the guards who trained rigorously every day, his sudden burst of passion, his superior equipment, and his coordination with those around him transformed him into a terrifying force of efficient slaughter.

The three of them unconsciously took a step outwards, each facing more enemies and exposing more vulnerabilities, while also gaining more room to maneuver. The two heavy infantry guards' unwavering defense and explosive attacks were unsurprising. However, when Ye Tao used his right foot as a pivot, spinning with outstretched arms, his long blades slicing through the throats of two enemies in an instant and leaving a long wound across the chest of another, even Liu Yong felt as if he were seeing an illusion.

But Ye Tao, fighting valiantly at the center of the battlefield's vortex, evoked a completely different response than someone like Liu Yong. People would stand confidently behind Liu Yong, obey his commands, and eliminate the targets he designated, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but they wouldn't be excited, frenzied, or filled with fiery passion. But Ye Tao could! Watching the Yunzhou Administrator lead by example, spinning and wielding his blades as if performing some mystical dance, with the surrounding elements swirling around him, inspired boundless confidence. It ignited a desire to live and die alongside him in all those who saw their lives as stepping stones, paths, and tools to glory.

"Ye Tao, brat, leave a few for this old man to play with!" Suddenly, a furious roar erupted beside them. After several rounds of breathing techniques, they had become ineffective. The Black Hawk Gang members below had learned their lesson and no longer fell for it, swarming forward in hopes of overwhelming them and breaking them down one by one. It was then that Old Man Qi, having dealt with the water ghosts, arrived.

However, Qi Zhentao's furious roar came a bit too late. Ye Tao had just finished another kill and was recovering his momentum. As Ye Tao paused for a moment, the rain washed away all the grime from his gleaming armor. The water dripping from the tips of the two long blades quickly changed from crimson to pink, then back to clear and transparent, as if the previous slaughter had never occurred.

Chao Ge was on pins and needles at the port. When the Black Hawk Gang began setting fires indiscriminately, his burden increased immeasurably. While directing the defense, he also shifted his forces, moving some to secure the remaining relatively safe corner of the port for the important ships. He also had to dispatch a significant force to protect those ships, unwilling to watch the well-crafted warships turned into fuel. Finally, Chao Ge realized that the Black Hawk Gang seemed determined to fight to the death, without considering how they would retreat even if they won. Chao Ge steeled his heart. He emptied two ships loaded with fire oil bombs, pulled aside the allied ships docked nearby, and then ignited the two ships himself. The violent explosions and the flames spreading across the water instantly destroyed two excellent warships, but they also inflicted heavy casualties on the Black Hawk Gang, who had recklessly attacked without seeing through Chao Ge's plan. It instantly separated the Black Hawk Gang and the Seven Seas Trading Company, allowing the latter to break free from the close-quarters combat they disliked.

The volleys of light ballistae, fire oil bombs, and crossbows constantly mowed down the Black Hawk Gang members trying to advance, and Chao Ge finally gained control of the situation. The enemies flanking from both sides had appeared on the port's flanks, but so had Zhou Rui's Special Operations Battalion and the assembled guards from various families.

Wu Ping'an and Zhou Rui, who had been sent out to meet the others, had completely different styles. Wu Ping'an and his guards were accustomed to direct confrontation, relying on their solid skills to gain the upper hand. Zhou Rui, while no less skilled than Wu Ping'an, was accustomed to stealth, ambushes, and traps. However, the two men, who had both served as Ye Tao's chief guards for a long time, quickly combined their strengths to complete the mission.

Wu Ping'an would lead his men into besieged courtyards, providing direct support, while the Special Operations Battalion soldiers would strike at the opportune moment, catching the enemy off guard. Zhou Rui even silently crept behind a boulder less than five feet from a Black Hawk Gang leader, then flashed out, decapitated the leader with a single stroke, and disappeared back into the woods, seeking his next target. As the battle raged in the port and on the mountainside, Zhou Rui and Wu Ping'an, with their limited manpower, gathered more and more people.

Because the mountain paths were blocked by the enemy, they didn't rashly lead the people back to Ye Tao's courtyard. Instead, they gathered them in a hidden cave not far from the beach. As their numbers grew, people felt safer, but they also wanted to turn the tide of the battle. At this point, the most reliable person was Zhou Rui, who was already a Battalion Commander in Yunzhou.

Zhou Rui didn't bring many men, only selecting a few dozen agile individuals from the volunteer guards. Although few in number, Zhou Rui made a big splash. With his knowledge of the mountains, he knew that the heavy rain would have loosened the soil in some areas. He chose a slope with few large trees, felled two towering trees at the top, and pushed them down at the right moment. The result was a rumbling avalanche of soil, rocks, and uprooted shrubs that crashed into a group of Black Hawk Gang members. The enemy's newly assembled force of more than four hundred men instantly crumbled, and Zhou Rui then led a charge, routing the enemy, who had been preparing to launch a devastating attack on the port area.

"Hmph... the Seven Seas Trading Company has such a character." On top of a nearby boulder, Xu Han Chao watched everything, and couldn't help but snort in resentment. Ironically, the telescope he was using was a product of Ye's Workshop Bosch Tool Company.

In a short time, a fresh force was gone. Although he had a telescope, the narrow field of view, the distance, and the violent weather made it difficult to see clearly, but it was clear that the enemy's casualties were very, very low. Xu Han Chao had already lost confidence in achieving a complete victory in this attack on Jiaoya Island, and instead hoped to inflict enough damage on the Seven Seas Trading Company to allow the surviving brothers to retreat safely, leaving the Seven Seas Trading Company unable to pursue. But this would also be difficult. Their semi-suicidal attack, combined with the great fire in the port area, had reduced the number of ships that could still sail to a considerable extent, and he certainly couldn't spare manpower to repair the ships now. It was hard to say how many brothers would be able to escape.

"Who did we kill?" Xu Han Chao asked in a low voice.

A leader beside him wiped the water from his face and said, "Qin Lu, Yan Fengming, Cheng Keng, Lu Bing'an's son, Lu Min... these are the ones that have been confirmed. Shark Eye Lao Liu should have led his men up the mountain, but there's been no news since then, maybe... maybe... but before that, they also killed Li Qingquan."

Xu Han Chao's expression had changed from the anxiety and ambition he had felt when he first landed on the island to his current state of uncertainty. He pondered for a moment and said, "It's not bad to have eliminated so many senior executives of the Seven Seas Trading Company at once. It's just... the brothers' casualties are too heavy. We only fought the Seven Seas Trading Company on the sea before, and seeing them relying on ballistae and fire oil bombs, we thought they were just bullying people with those things. We were hoping to break through and fight them in close quarters, relying on the brothers' ferocity, and we would definitely win. Heh, I didn't expect the Seven Seas Trading Company... and that Ye Tao, his skills on land seem to be even stronger."

The leader disagreed, saying, "He's just relying on his sharp blades and good armor. If the brothers had that kind of equipment, this wouldn't have happened."

Xu Han Chao didn't speak. Indeed, if the Black Hawk Gang members had such good equipment, perhaps the situation today would have been completely different, especially at the mountain pass, where they wouldn't have paid such a heavy price and still failed to break through. Instead, they were now being driven back to the beach by Ye Tao and Qi Zhentao, who were personally leading the counterattack. But if the Black Hawk Gang had such good equipment, would they still be a pirate gang? Would they still be a gang making a living at sea? Besides, if they could equip all the brothers like that, with that kind of wealth, the Black Hawk Gang could have learned from Old Man Qi and transitioned into legitimate business. Why bother being despised pirates?

"Boss, let's retreat..." the leader cautiously suggested, "Staying here won't do us any good. Mo Guang said that we've suffered heavy losses, but the Seven Seas Trading Company won't be any better off than us. Being attacked during such a big meeting, and having several famous figures killed. So many ships burned. How many of our ships can be worth the price of one Tiger Tooth warship? Boss, I know you're not feeling well... but although the brothers have suffered heavy losses, it's actually not a loss. Boss, you have to continue to fight them with the brothers in the future, if we're all lost here, then everything will be in vain."

Xu Han Chao nodded, thinking that it was indeed the truth. "It's hateful, we were used as pawns again this time. I'm sorry to the brothers."

The leader said resentfully, "Boss, we have to make our own decisions in the future."

Xu Han Chao chuckled coldly and said, "I was used as a pawn, but there's no way around it. The Black Hawk Gang is not what it used to be. After today, if we want to raise a strong enough team again, we'll still need that nobleman to spend money and effort. That nobleman still needs us, and although that nobleman is wary of us, he still let me know who he is. We'll probably have to rely on him to get rich in the future."

The leader didn't say anything more. It was a good thing that Xu Han Chao was considering the future, which proved that he had no intention of fighting to the death here. As for the rest, this leader knew he shouldn't ask. If he asked any further, he might be eliminated in the future. This information was something Xu Han Chao had obtained after personally making a trip to Yu Hang. Although the Black Hawk Gang had many hidden forces in Chun Nan, Xu Han Chao was still the number one wanted criminal in Chun Nan on the surface. Going to Yu Hang when the Dong Ping delegation was there, with security arrangements so tight that it felt suffocating, required great courage, and he also had to guard against being betrayed. No one knew who Xu Han Chao met, what he said, what agreements he reached, or what benefits he obtained for the Black Hawk Gang. Even this leader only vaguely knew that behind Xu Han Chao's seemingly desperate attack, there must have been a backup plan. At least Xu Han Chao hadn't moved his main fleet, nor had he sent out the best ships. Although their home was unprecedentedly vulnerable after this battle, it was by no means defenseless.

Xu Han Chao, as a powerful figure, certainly had a loyal side, but he had come this far because he was ruthless and willing to sacrifice. This leader even suspected that Xu Han Chao's earlier expressions of remorse and despair were all faked.

"Boss, Shark Eye Lao Liu and the others must have hidden those turtle ships in that cave. Let's go quickly," the leader continued to urge. "If we don't leave... if we don't leave, it'll be too late."

Xu Han Chao seemed to finally make up his mind. "Go, let's go!" He gritted his teeth, as if uttering those words with all his strength.

He clearly saw Zhou Rui leading a group of people into the port area, and his attention to Zhou Rui seemed to have attracted Zhou Rui's attention. Zhou Rui's sense of danger didn't let him miss Xu Han Chao, but a fleeting glance wasn't enough for Zhou Rui to abandon the important responsibility of assisting the port area to figure out who this guy standing on top of the boulder, who must be an important figure of the enemy, was.

With Xu Han Chao gone, only two leaders remained on the island, coordinating and maneuvering. Unable to mount a frontal attack, they broke up into small teams and fled and ambushed everywhere on the island. This desperate guerilla warfare prevented the Seven Seas Trading Company from stopping the mop-up operations on the main island and the surrounding small islands that could be reached by manpower for several days. The mop-up operations were not smooth either. After all, the Seven Seas Trading Company had indeed suffered heavy losses this time. The total value of the lost ships and the goods on them was more than ten million taels, not to mention all kinds of accounts, documents, and plans. More troublesome were the senior executives who had died. The family disputes and inheritance matters of these people could be handled with the help of Qi Zhentao and Ye Tao's connections and the arbitration of the Dong Ping bigwigs they could call on, which wouldn't cause too much internal turmoil within the Seven Seas Trading Company. However, these dead men were all senior executives in charge of important affairs, especially Li Qingquan, who was in charge of the development and settlement of the South Seas. How could these vacancies be filled? How long would it take to repair and recover? These questions swirled in the minds of all the Seven Seas Trading Company members. But one thing was very clear to everyone, and that was that this matter was definitely not over.

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